Slicing machine



May 20, 1941- H. J. CRINER SLI'CING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

I ATTORNEYS.

May 20, 1941. H. J. CRINER 2,242,512

SLICING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m E 7/1 IIIIIIA 5m fly 8 2 (2 II\)JVENTOR.

MM V

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 20, 1941 SLICING MACHINE Harry J. Criner, Davenport, Iowa, assignor of onehalf to A. G. Bush, Davenport, Iowa Application May 16, 1938, Serial No. 208,129 12 Claims.- (Cl.14688) My invention relates to improvements in bread slicing machines of the multiple-band type.

The objects of my invention are to provide a machine in which two sets of alternating bandblades running parallel and in opposite directions are utilized to slice the bread; to provide means comprising an inner pair of parallel pulleys carrying a series of band-blades running in one direction and an outer pair of slightly larger pulleys running parallel to the inner pulleys but in the opposite direction which are utilized to carry and drive the slicing blades; in a machine employing an inner series of blades running in parallel over spaced parallel pulleys; to provide means for turning opposite portions of each band-blade intermediate the pulleys to an angle of approximately forty-five degrees from the remaining portions of the blades, with the cutting edges all extending in the same direction; to provide a band-blade slicing machine ,having a plurality of outer and a plurality of intermediate series of band-blades all traveling in parallel, with means for uniformly spacing the blades and turning the cutting edges of portions thereof into line with the line of travel of the bread; and other objects which will appear from the specifications.

I accomplish these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my machine but for clearness showing the blades diagrammatically by single lines and with the feed table omitted;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of my machine looking at it from the right of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top or plan view as in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail showing a form of feed table or chute;

Figure 6 is a top or plan View corresponding to Figure 3, but showing a plurality of smaller pulleys in place of single large pulleys as in Figure 3, designed to effectuate the slicing with about half the length of travel of the bread required by the forms shown in the other figures;

Figure 7 shows an enlarged detail of one means for adjusting the height of the drum shafts.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail of a pair of drums and showing a single band-blade running over the drums with the cutting courses of the blades twisted by the guides to an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to the axes of the" drums.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts My machine comprises a frame which may be composed of a single column I with extended feet 1-T' as in Figures 1 to 4 or of a pair of columns I and I located on opposite sides of the feed vl table as shown in Figure 6.

In the form shown in Figures 1 to 4 a plurality of arms 8 are formed integral with the column I, and hubs or bosses 3456 are formed integral With the arms 8, in which hubs the pulley shafts lll2--l3-l4 are rigidly mounted. These shafts are parallel and suitably spaced apart and mounted with their axes in a single vertical plane.

In the form shown in Figure 6 a pair of spaced columns are shown with cross-arms to cast integral therewith and carrying a plurality of hubs 3a and 30.

Upon the intermediate shafts -44 I mount multiple-blade pulleys or drums ll-lB each of which carries a plurality of similar slicing blades 20 spaced apart laterally thereon and extending around both pulleys, but with the portions of the blades between the pulleys uncrossed.

Upon the outer shafts I2 and I3 I mount similar drums |Bl5 having a radius equal to the radius of the inner pulleys I I I4 plus the thickness of a slice of the bread when cut, so that the vertical portions of the blades 20 upon the outer pulleys will be spaced apart from the adjacent blades traveling upon the inner pulleys distances equal to the thickness of a single slice when out.

The shafts I l and I2 extendthrough the frame and upon the extended ends thereof I mount drive pulleys 34 and 35 which are connected by a crossed belt 36 in order to drive the pulleys'in opposite directions.

The drive pulley 35 may be driven by a belt or otherwise from an electric motor or any other desiredsource of power. The pulley 34 is made enough smaller than the pulley 35 to cause the drum [1 on the shaft II to travel at the same peripheral speed as the drum l8 on the shaft I2, thus causing all the blades to run at the same speed. The cutting blades driven by the lower pulleys will in turn drive the upper pulleys at corresponding speeds.

The crossbar 9 is united at one end to the frame of the machine and carries bars 23 and 24 which are slotted as at 25-25 to form guides for the blades and to twist and turn the blades to the proper angle for slicing the bread. A corresponding crossbar 9 is united to the frame spaced above the bar 9 and carries suitably secured thereto, the slotted bars 2| and 22, which turn or twist the blades into the proper slicing angle.

The bars 23 and 24 may be formed integral with the feed and discharge sections 26 and 26" of the bread chute or table, as shown in Figure if desired, and in such cases an intermediate section 26 may be interposed between the front and rear portions of the blades to support the bread while passing therein.

In order to hold the bread against upward displacement, a sectional plate corresponding to the bread chute 26-45 and 26" may be formed integral with the guide bars 2| and 22 with an inter mediate section corresponding to 26 interposed between them.

Figure 5 may be regarded as showing either the bread chute or the hold-down guide plate just described.

Crossbars 2 l222324 may be united to the crossbars 9 and 9' by brackets 21-28-49-30' secured by bolts or rivets 28'-29', etc. or other suitable means.

The feed and discharge table or chute comprising sections 26--26'--25" is mounted intermediate the inner pulleys l1 and I6 and may be secured in horizontal position or inclined from the feed to the discharge end as desired. This feed table is parallel to and extends longitudinally at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to the axes of the shafts I II2-l3l4 so that the bread traveling lengthwise upon the table or chute comes in contact with the blades intermediate the pulleys.

The outer sections 2626' of the feed table may be provided with slots 25-45 to take the place of the guide bars heretofore described and the sides of these slots will act to twist and guide the blades so as to slice the bread in parallel lines extending longitudinally of the chute or table.

The pulleys or drums l5-I6-l1-l8 are preferably faced with resilient material which will yield sufiiciently to accommodate slight variations in the length of blades or such variations as occasionally occur in the travel thereof.

Adjustable bearings for the shafts l3 and I4 may be provided as shown in Figure '7 by which the upper drums may be raised or lowered when necessary to increase the tension upon the blades or to change or replace blades.

These bearings may consist of split bushings 31-31 mounted in a suitable opening in the hub 4 and set screws 3838' are provided by which the bushings can be raised or lowered, thereby raising or lowering the shaft l4.

Various forms of bread chutes, drums, shaft bushings, blade guides and other parts of my apparatus are well known and in common use and many modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore do not limit my claims to the precise forms shown in the drawings.v

I claim:

1. In a bread slicing machine of the class described, a supporting frame having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis at right angles to each other, an inner pair and an outer pair of parallel spaced shafts revolvably mounted in said frame at a uniform angle of approximately 45 to the longitudinal axis of the machine, blade-supporting and driving drums of uniform diameter from end to end mounted upon said shafts, a plurality of endless band-blades mounted upon the inner pair of drums to run thereon in parallel planes at right angles to. the axes of the drums, a plurality of endless band-blades mounted upon the outer pair of drums to run thereon in parallel planes, each of said blades having two cutting courses intermediate the inner drums and the cutting courses of each outer blade running in uniform parallel spaced relation to the cutting courses of its corresponding inner blade, and all of said'blades being uniformly twisted intermediate their respective carrying drums so that the cutting courses of all the blades will run in planes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame.

2. In a bread slicing machine of the class described, the combination with a supporting frame having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis at right angles to each other, of an inner and an outer pair of parallel spaced shafts revolvably mounted in said frame at an angle of approximately 45 to the longitudinal axis of the machine, blade-supporting and driving drums of uniform diameter from end to end mounted upon said shafts, a plurality of endless band-blades mounted upon the inner pair of drums to run thereon in parallel planes at right angles to the axes of "the drums, a plurality of endless bandblades mounted upon the outer pair of drums to run thereon in parallel planes at right angles to the axes of the drums, each of said blades having two cutting courses intermediate the inner drums and the cutting courses of each outer blade running in uniform parallel spaced relation to the slicing courses of its corresponding inner blade, and means by which all of said blades are uniformly twisted intermediate their respective carrying drums so that the cutting courses of all the blades will run in planes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame.

3. A bread slicing machine as described in claim 1, and a plurality of slotted guide members mounted upon the frame to twist the blades so their cutting edges will all extend in the same direction in-their slicing courses.

4. A bread slicing machine as described in claim 1, a plurality of guide members mounted upon the frame to twist the blades so their cutting edges will all. extend inthe same direction in their slicing courses, and means for supporting the bread while passing through the slicing courses of the blades- 5. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with rotatable inner and outer supports, of a plurality of uniformly spaced alternating inner and outer endless band-blades mounted upon said supports to travel in parallel and in paired relation, each pair comprising an inner and an outer blade, means for twisting the cutting courses of the blades to travel at uniform angles to the remaining portions thereof, all the corresponding cutting courses of the inner blades being arranged to travel in a single plane parallel to the axis of their support and all corresponding cutting courses of the outer blades being arranged to travel in a plane parallel to the axis of their support, and means for driving all of the. inner blades in one direction and all of the outer blades in the opposite direction.

6. In a bread slicing machine of the class described, a supporting frame having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis at right angles to each other, a plurality of inner pairs and outer pairs of parallel spaced shafts revolvably mounted transversely in said frame at a uniform angle of approximately 45 to the longitudinal axis of the machine, blade-supporting and driving drums of uniform diameter from end to end mounted upon said shaft, a plurality of endless band-blades mounted upon the inner pairs of drums to run thereon in parallel planes at right angles to the axes of the drums, a plurality of endless band-blades mounted upon the outer pairs of drums to run thereon in parallel planes, each of said blades having two cutting courses intermediate the inner drums and the cutting courses of each outer blade running in uniform parallel spaced relation to the cutting courses of its corresponding inner blade, and all of said blades being uniformly twisted intermediate their respective carrying drums so that the cutting courses of all the blades will run in planes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame.

7. A bread slicing machine as described in claim 6, and a plurality of guide members mounted upon the frame to twist the blades so their cutting edges will all extend in the same direction in their slicing courses.

8. A bread slicing machine as described in claim 6, and means for supporting the bread while passing through the slicing courses of the blades.

9. A bread slicing machine of the class described comprising a supporting arm, inner and outer pairs of parallel spaced shafts mounted thereon, drums of uniform diameter from end to end revolvably mounted upon the shafts severally, a series of spaced band-blades mounted upon the inner drums, a second series of similarly spaced band-blades mounted upon the outer drums, said blades being arranged in pairs, one inner blade and one outer blade comprising each pair, all of said blades having two cutting courses each intermediate the inner drums and all of said cutting courses being parallel to each other, means to revolve the inner and outer pairs of drums in opposite directions, and means carried by the frame intermediate the inner drums to guide and turn the blades uniformly to an acute angle to the shafts.

10. A machine as described in claim 9, the angle of the blades during their cutting courses being approximately 45 to the aXes of the drums, and. means for conveying the bread to be sliced to the cutting courses of the blades on a line parallel to the blades in their cutting courses.

11. A slicing machine as described in claim 9, the cutting courses of said blades extending in two parallel series with the cutting edges of each series lying in a plane parallel to the cutting edges of the other series.

12. In a bread slicing machine, the combination as set out in claim 5, and means for supporting the bread while passing through the slicing courses of the blades. I

HARRY J. CRINE 

